


It's a Learning Curve

by ceasethisnoise



Category: Incredibles (Pixar Movies)
Genre: F/F, First ever fic, Gay, be kind, its 1am, slow burn maybe, very gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-11-10
Packaged: 2019-07-07 12:41:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15908487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceasethisnoise/pseuds/ceasethisnoise
Summary: Evelyn is released from jail earlier that she expected, but of course it's too good to be true. With the keys to a new apartment and a set of rules to abide by, Evelyn looks like she's got away scot-free. So why doesn't she feel like it?





	1. It may be crap, but hey, it's CONVENIENT

The wind played around Evelyn’s figure for the first time in a while as she stepped outside the boundaries of New Urbem Correctional Facility on a cold April morning, feeling more alive than she had in...how long had it been, again?

Ah, right. Six months.

Six months since Evelyn's life had crashed and burned so spectacularly, and not a day went by where those failures weren’t whirling around in her head. The time in jail (short as it was, all things considered), was simply put, _intolerable_. Upon arrival she had been placed in a specialized cell without TV, radio, or other modern living amenities that could, in any way, be potentially used against the staff - Evelyn almost considered it a compliment of her technical prowess at first, until the reality of her long stay set in. It was a small mercy that they had graced her with her own small bathroom and that their fear of her skills didn’t stretch far enough to consider the lone light bulb in her room a threat.

The guards eyed her suspiciously as she sauntered out of the gated entrance. It irritated Evelyn - what did they expect from her, to procure a pair of goggles from thin air? She wasn’t a Super, _thank god_. She settled for smirking at them lazily as she headed towards the shiny black car ahead of her. Clearly DevTech. At least she had one person she could count on to welcome her back into society… even if he wasn’t wearing that winning smile that so often annoyed her... yet this time she almost missed it.

 

“Evelyn.”

 

“Winston.”

 

There was an awkward pause as the car began to pull out and away from the facility. Evelyn observed the concrete blocks getting smaller and smaller until they were obscured by trees whistling by.  
“So what strings did you pull to release me this early?”

  
Winston shuffled. “Let’s say... DevTech will be feeling a little sore for the months to come. I think I lost my place on the golfing team amongst the board members too…”

  
“Ah don’t worry Win, I’ll golf with you.”

  
His eyes brightened. “Really?”

  
“No.”

  
“Oh.”

 

Evelyn looked at her brother. She almost felt bad, but had forgotten how good it felt to just to talk to someone at all - the guards that had been watching her were dullards the lot of them. They almost seemed allergic to small talk, especially Evelyn’s favourite - the smug kind.

  
She sighed. “You of all people would know I’d do more harm than good with a golfing iron, Win. Let’s just... get back to the lab and deal with the company fallout later. I’ve got enough ideas waiting to get tested to occupy me for a lifetime.”

  
Winston cleared his throat. “Yeah, about that…”

  
Evelyn looked over quickly. “‘Yeah, about that’, what?”

  
“We’re not going back to DevTech yet. Or at least, you’re not.”

 

Evelyn’s mouth lost its ability to stay shut and as the truth set in, Evelyn looked out and gaped - he was right. The car was on the outskirts of New Urbem going in, but it was on the other side of the city to where they should be. In fact, this side looked positively destitute. Evelyn was glad she didn’t recognise it, otherwise that might have said something about her.  
“I hope this is a sorry excuse for a detour, _Winston_.” she said his name a little sharper than the rest.

  
“Weeeellll-”

  
The car had parked up, somewhere that didn’t seem important. Just another street with plenty of residential apartments, all concrete and crumbling. The road itself was empty, but it was so early in the morning that not even the early birds had risen. Winston got out of the car and tentatively, Evelyn followed.  
The lean businessman gathered what little energy he had left and flew his arms open, gesturing at what Evelyn considered to be the crummiest building on the street. Beaming with effort, he announced, “Your new place!”

  
No one was convinced. Evelyn couldn’t stop her hand from covering her pained expression of dread, but at least now she could understand why her sentencing was cut so irregularly short.  
The punishment hadn’t ended. It had only changed.

 

* * *

 

 

Winston unlocked the apartment door, chattering all the while. Now that he had broken the big news to her, his sentences ran like a broken tap, trying to escape as fast as they could.  
“Of course I had to find somewhere that you wouldn’t be caught dead in, the less the populace know about this arrangement, the better. But all your basic amenities are here and yes, you get to have electrical appliances and TV - you can even leave the house whenever you like, so long as you don’t attract attention. It’s pretty much a normal life, all things considered!”

Evelyn had to hand it to her brother, the apartment wasn’t bad. A little dated, sure, but comfortable, maybe even cosy, with some effort on her part. While she was pretty sure the most expensive thing in the room was Winston’s suit, it was livable. Which begged the question…

“If this is a normal life, then why aren’t we back in my lab right now, Winston?”

  
“That is the snag, I’m afraid,” Winston almost sat down on the couch, but thought better of it on account of his suit. “The board doesn’t trust you in your lab right now, and while you’re still technically the CEO of DevTech with me, it was agreed that the best course of action for the moment is to keep you away from action, so to speak.”

  
Evelyn clenched her teeth. “For how long?”

  
“Six weeks. If you can prove to the board that you can lead a normal life and not cause a fuss, then you’ll be allowed back in the lab, no strings attached. Then our lives can get back to normal,” he added quietly.

  
She glared at her brother. “And do you trust me?”

  
“I trust that you’ll follow through with this deal, or otherwise risk going back to jail for… for five years.”

  
Evelyn’s body sagged. It wasn’t like she had a choice, but she considered it foolish now to even believe she would have got off so lightly with attempting driving a cruiser into the city. She was being offered an olive branch, and it would be madness to refuse. It didn’t stop her from considering it out of spite, though.

 

Sighing and running her hand through her short hair, Evelyn answered, “I’m sure I can manage, somehow.” She even tried a small smile for her brother, even though all she wanted to do was throw him out of the window.

  
His beam came back, and not forced this time. Suddenly Evelyn felt her frame lift off the ground in a back-breaking hug as Winston held tight around her.  
He nuzzled his face into her arm. “Don’t fail me now, little sis,” he said quietly as he let her back down gently. Evelyn poked her ribs gingerly to make sure they hadn’t cracked, before waving him away.

  
Looking around Evelyn could see it was an open-plan apartment, the living area and kitchen diner combined. The furniture was mostly pine, and the sofa looked like it was held together by dust more than cotton at this point. The bedroom itself was tiny, quite literally a room with enough space for a double bed and a small bedside. The bathroom was cleaner than the jail equivalent thankfully, although that was about as much of a compliment as it was getting from Evelyn.

  
She turned back to her brother. “So, what are the rules?”

 

He held out his hand and counted them on his fingers. “Firstly, don’t go near DevTech Tower. I know it’s a fair way away from you here, but I’ve got the police district in that area on high alert. If they so much as see you sniffing around the building, it’s game over. Secondly, don’t work on anything DevTech related. The board and business want nothing to do with you right now, and anything you make, they won’t want a part of. Thirdly, don’t be evil,” Evelyn gave him a pointed look.

  
“I think I got that one six months ago, yeah,” she replied snarkily.

  
“And lastly,” he continued, “Don’t contact any Supers.”

  
Evelyn did a double take. “W-why would I want to do that? Didn’t I make it clear how I felt about… them… a few months ago?”

  
Winston looked away. “You did, but...it’s not like you to make friends, Eve.”

  
“Don’t call me that.”

  
“And while I was expecting you to be warm enough to Elastigirl, I know that… I know that she could have been a good friend to you, had things gone the right way.”

  
Evelyn turned to the window, arms crossed. “Yeah, you’re right. _Could’ve._ But the world isn’t that simple Win, otherwise I’d be in my lab about now. So how about you stop coming up with rules that don’t apply to me, and get the hell on with it.” She looked squarely at the view outside, not turning around.

  
The room was silent for a moment, then Winston sighed quietly. “That was about it really. Just remember, six weeks and you’re home free. Don’t let me down, Evelyn.”

 

“Have I ever?”

 

“...Actually, yes.”

 

That one hurt. Evelyn turned around, but Winston had already closed the front door behind him, keys jangling in the lock, leaving her alone in the apartment.  
She looked around, the space suddenly feeling a lot more depressing than it had just moments ago...

 

  
God, she needed a drink.


	2. People will trade quality for ease, every time

The morning sun slowly crept its way into Evelyn’s new, old abode as she set about _really_ getting to know the place. Namely, where the whiskey was kept.  


The exploration of the small kitchen was an unsuccessful one, but at least she discovered about a week's worth of food well stocked, some of it fresh, even. _Win really pulled out all the stops_ , Evelyn thought absently as she opened and closed cupboard doors, scanning for any bottle-shaped objects. _Well... all stops but one,_ she added.

 

The living room area only had one set of drawers - on top laid her compact purse alongside other necessities that were useless to her in jail, but vital now. The drawers themselves were mostly empty, save for a notebook and some stationary. "That'll come in handy later," Evelyn murmured to herself.

The bedroom and bathroom weren't really worth checking, but it didn't stop Evelyn from trying. Under the bed? Nope. The small dresser full of her clothes, just outside her tiny bedroom? Hardly. The bathroom shelf? _Oh, mouthwash..._

 

...

 

Evelyn mentally labelled that as 'For Emergencies' before calling it quits.

 

It seemed like Winston knew her tendencies far too well. _If he thought I'd be going through these six weeks dry, then he's got another thing coming._ Evelyn snorted.

A trip to the convenience store, then. The thirty-something changed into some new clothes that didn't reek of jailbird, quickly grabbed a snack from the kitchen along with her purse and with that, left the apartment with a smile, whirling the keys around her finger. _Time to make some vital purchases._

 

It took a little longer than expected for Evelyn to make her way into the centre of New Urbem. Being used to a chauffeur for too long made her orienteering skills indolent, and she could only vaguely recognise which side of the city she was on. Thankfully there was a new hovertrain station five minutes away from her apartment, which suited Evelyn well enough. Once on the train itself though, she sensed the irony of almost running the success of such an invention into the ground. Of course, she knew Elastigirl would save the day. It was an easy challenge. A warm up. Even the super said it was too easy.

 

_She should have made it harder._

 

_Or maybe she shouldn't have done it at all,_ she countered, frustrated. _No matter, what's done is done. I lost my chance, Elastigirl is probably back at her perfect home with her perfect family and not even thinking about me in the slightest, and..._

Evelyn looked out of the window. She had no idea where she was.

 

As she hastily she got off at the next stop, Evelyn realised she wasn't too far from the city centre after all. In fact, a convenience store sat on the corner of the street just outside the station, and Evelyn could have sighed with relief. She glided into the store with intention, not stopping to peruse the shelves but immediately heading for the nearest whiskey bottles she could find. On grabbing her fourth bottle, she realised should have grabbed a basket at the entrance to make things easier, but hey... _that would have been too easy_. Making her way to the checkout, gingerly cradling her loot, Evelyn became aware of the glances she was getting from other customers. _Let them look, they're missing out on the party,_ she smirked. Conversely, the guy at the till didn't bat an eyelid as he bagged up the bottles and as Evelyn left the corner store, her sense of direction for the next few weeks suddenly seemed a little clearer.

 

That being said, her literal direction at that moment was uncharted. Evelyn wandered quietly through the crowds, many of which were on their way to work, too caught up in their own little worlds to notice a woman who almost upended their lives six months ago, pass them by with the ease of an individual who would happily do it all again. _Except she couldn't_ , she corrected herself. She found herself in the middle of a city square, somewhere probably important. In the middle of the square, decorative fountains sprung up from the ground as children danced in between the water spurts. _Shouldn't they be in school?_

Evelyn perched herself on a set of stone steps near a grandiose building, unscrewed the bottle on top of the pile and took a sip. It was glorious, even without a proper drinking glass. She took another sip and relaxed into the the stony seat beneath her as much as possible. With each sip, relaxing got a little easier.

 

* * *

 

 

Evelyn opened her eyes. Her back hurt... _her butt hurt._ And worse, she could feel this insistent poking on her right arm that wouldn't go away, along with some murmuring she couldn't quite make out. Opening her eyes, she noticed two things - it was night-time, and the young man poking her arm stank of cheese.

 

His face broke into a smile when she met his eyes. "Hey, so you're not dead then!" he laughed. This man was _far_ too joyful for her liking.

 

She shifted. "Nope, just ignoring you...how long was I out for?"

 

"I don't know, I just saw you two minutes ago looking like roadkill on the steps, so I thought I'd give you a nudge. Seems like you got through your drink pretty well before I came along, though, eh?" He nods at the bottle in her hand. It was two-thirds empty. Or was it three thirds? Evelyn couldn't focus on it all that well, so she ignored it.

 

"You didn't have to wake me, you know," she murmured.

 

"Ah it's fine ma'am, I wanted to," he replied. The cheese smell wafted again, it didn't mix well with Evelyn's state.

 

"And why did you want to wake me?"

 

"To see your face when I do this," he said, as he grabbed the bag of whiskey bottles and made a run for it, laughing.

 

"HEY!" Evelyn shouted. But no-one was around to hear her as the man ducked into a nearby side-street. Evelyn clambered to her feet, ignoring the pins and needles in her legs as she stumbled after him. Her purse was in that bag. If she had no more money for _six weeks..._

As she picked up the speed, she noted how it was a miracle she was running in a straight line at all. The man seemed equally surprised, as he stepped up the speed and turned into a smaller alleyway. Evelyn kept up, but only just - her lungs were beginning to burn. She was never the family athlete, and she wasn't about to start now.

Especially since the thief in front of her just pulled some diseased garbage cans into her pathway. She noticed their sudden appearance before her body could react, and before she knew it, she was face-down in alleyway dirt, the thief having turned a corner and celebrating an easy victory.

 

Except Evelyn didn't think victory sounded quite as painful as _that_... wasn't that shouting? Suddenly a loud _thump_ followed, the jangling of bottles, and quiet. Evelyn slowly pulled herself up, dusting off the dirt and stumbling forward, catching her breath. Bottles jangled again behind the corner, before none other than Elastigirl stepped out into her pathway, whiskey in one hand, thief in another.

 

Evelyn stopped dead, gaping. Of all the people, _all the people_ in the world to turn that corner, it had to be _her_. In her vividly red Incredible outfit, Elastigirl looked as amazing as ever, saving the day, elegant and composed, Eve's whiskey in her grasp...and looking at Evelyn with an expression so stony it almost made the woman abandon her bag of drinks altogether and flee.

 

" _You._ "

 

The air felt thick with tension. Evelyn couldn't look away from that glare, that face, that...she had to say something. Anything.

_Just. Say. Something._

 

_Say sorry._

 

"...I thought superheroes weren't allowed to drink on duty."

Evelyn inwardly punched herself.

 

Elastigirl looked away. " If you’re trying to lighten the mood, try it with someone you haven’t antagonised recently," she held up the bag of whiskey, which at this moment looked nothing short of embarrassing. "Is this yours?"

 

Evelyn shuffled, crossing her arms. "Yeah, that man grabbed it from me, he was... too quick."

 

"Anyone would be at this point...how much have you _had_?"

 

"Excuse you, but-!"

 

"You look terrible."

 

Evelyn spluttered. "What?"

 

Even with the mask, Elastigirl observed Evelyn's messy figure dubiously, who sighed.

 

"...I mean you’re _right_ , but-"

 

The super was already moving on. "You’re a vulnerable citizen out here at night, and I can’t leave you like this...unless you know your way back to the place your brother set up for you?" her eyes looked slightly hopeful.

 

"You know about all  _ that _ ?"

 

_"_ _ Do you know your way back?"  _ Elastigirl's gaze hardened again. _   
_

 

_ Fine, playing that game are we? _ Evelyn mused. "Su re, it’s...that way," she replied, pointing somewhere off to her right. "Give or take fifty blocks."

 

"Great, but that’s the way to your tower, and that's a no-no," Elastigirl replied, causing Evelyn to pout slightly. "C’mon, I’ll escort you back to your new place once I drop this guy off at the station. It is my job, after all." She beckoned Evelyn over as she dragged the thief back around the corner. Weighing up her options, Evelyn knew it would be better to be escorted back at this hour, in her state. From a logical point of view, of course. Not that she cared who it was doing the escorting. At all.  


 

Elastigirl rolled back around the corner, now on a new Elasticycle with the thief draped across her lap. The bike itself was elegant enough, and looked similar to Evelyn's own creation. But on a second glance, despite her inebriated status, Evelyn could tell this piece of machinery was jankier than hers, by a long shot. The devil was in the details of course, but she knew it couldn't match up to her own make. She almost smiled at that, until she felt Elastigirl tug her closer to the bike. She felt the super slowly lift up one of Evelyn's legs to saddle the backseat, and the inventor almost fell off the other side from shock.

 

"Not one for being guided, are you?"

 

"Depends who's doing the guiding," she muttered, finding her balance on the back seat, lightly kicking the thief's head in satisfaction. Elastigirl noticed, frowning.

 

"Don't do that."

 

Evelyn shrugged and held onto Elastigirl's lean waist. Her heart immediately tugged upwards with that motion, and Evelyn sensed a wave of light-headedness hit her from nowhere.

She settled her head on Elastigirl's back and hummed. "This Elasticycle..."

 

"What about it?"

 

"It doesn’t hold a candle to the one I made for you."

 

Elastigirl sighed. "It really doesn’t," she replied quietly.  


 

Evelyn's head flew back up. "What-"

 

The vehicle revved immediately, and before she knew it, the alleyway flew past both women as the super turned a hard left and weaved her way through the growing traffic. Evelyn fought to keep her whiskey in her stomach, but by the fourth hard turn she failed miserably.

This was _not_ how she expected to meet Elastigirl again.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The next hour was a blur. Evelyn belatedly realised they no longer had a thief on board, and the lack of odorous cheese made Evelyn feel slightly better. Next thing she remembered, her keys were in the lock of her apartment, then she stumbled over the threshold into a dark room. The curtains were still open, the air was colder. It felt unused and unwelcoming, but then again Evelyn _had_ been out all day on important business. Elastigirl placed the bag of beverages down at the entrance to the apartment and started turning on some lights.

 

"It's not as bad as I was expecting," she commented. "Your brother really did a lot to make this work for you."

 

Evelyn rolled her eyes, clocking the musty sofa and promptly collapsing into it. "I'm well aware of how amazing Winston is for doing all of this, thank you. How did you know about this deal we had going on anyways?"

 

Elastigirl paused, then stretched her arm over to the other side of the room, closing the curtains. "Winston wanted to keep me... _us_ , in the loop. It was the least he could do after everything that had happened."

 

Evelyn rolled over onto her back, looking up at the super pointedly. "And do you think I deserve all this?"

 

"It's not about what you deserve, it's about what you do with this opportunity that counts," Elastigirl moved into the kitchen and started rooting through the cupboards. "But if this is all you're going to do with your time here, then maybe you need to think about what your brother deserves from you."

 

Evelyn began to sit up. "If I want to spend my time drinking tasty beverages, then that's what I'm going to do, whether he, _or you_ , likes it or not," she retorted. "It's not against the rules, it doesn't hurt anyone and honestly I don't see why you would even _care_ -"

 

Elastigirl pushed Evelyn back down. "It would hurt you," she replied calmly, placing a bucket next to Evelyn's head on the floor, alongside some painkillers and a glass of water. "And if it hurts you, it'll hurt Winston. Think on that."

 

Evelyn groaned, feeling a guilt-trip coming on. "Does it really matter? I've broken the cardinal rule of not interacting with Supers, and I've not even passed my first day..."

 

Helen waves her hand nonchalantly, trying to locate a blanket. "You'll be let off this time, I'll explain the situation to your brother..."

 

"Why are you doing this, Elastigirl?"

 

Helen stopped and looked around into those pale blue eyes, tired and... _hurt_? Surely not.

Elastigirl shrugged. "It's my job, remember?"

 

Evelyn pushes. "And if I did this every day for the next six weeks, would you still consider it your job?"

 

"It depends - _are you_ going to keep doing this for the next six weeks?"

 

"Barring the instance with the thief, yes."

 

The two women stared at one another. The challenge hung in the air, ready for the taking. Elastigirl felt caught, as Evelyn grinned lazily at the easy win, closing her eyes.

 

"Don't waste your energy," she added, huskily. "We both know I'm not worth the trouble."

 

There was a pause so long that Evelyn almost fell asleep when she felt something warm on top of her. A blanket draped across her body and somehow it felt like a blanket draped across her mind too. The muddiness of sleep was creeping up on her, so she almost missed Elastigirl whisper,

"We both know that's not true."

 

Evelyn barely stirred, not even when she heard her bag of whiskey being taken gently out of the apartment. She tried to make a fuss, but fatigue had already won this fight. The quiet click of the lock was the last thing Evelyn heard before tumbling into a heavy slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, here's the next chapter! Thank you guys for the response on the first one, it really gave me the energy and confidence to continue this fic - I'm not a natural writer, so I'm learning a lot as I go along with this.
> 
> On a note with the direction of the story, I'll be looking at tackling an idea I see come up a lot in hevelyn fics - Evelyn's drinking habits, and how they might impact her (and others around her) in a negative way. I don't know how heavy I'll get with this, but I'll warn you if it does!
> 
> Thank you again for reading, it really brings a smile to my face to see your reponses/kudos!


	3. The pizza was cold

It was _far_ too early for Evelyn to be awake, considering that her head was being mercilessly smashed to pieces by the Sledgehammer of Hangovers. At least it felt that way, as she heard her front door being opened brashly, the click of the lock too sharp for her ears even from twenty feet away. For a second she couldn't figure out whether she was in jail, DevTech, or somewhere completely new, until yesterday's events began to drip back into her consciousness.

 

 _Who the hell has access to this apartment...?_   “Winston?” she mumbled groggily. The door opened with a jangle of keys - sharp clacking of shoes on hardwood followed.

 

“A bit optimistic for you, don’t you think?” came the reply. _Ah._

 

The hazy hourglass of Elastigirl passed Evelyn’s view horizontally towards the other side of the room with purpose. The tech genius tried to push herself up, but the world spun in ways she hadn’t experienced since before her incarceration, and she wasn’t _quite_ used to that feeling again... yet.

 

Thumping back into the sofa defeated, she closed her eyes and rubbed her face, groaning. “How do you have the keys to my- _this_ place?”

 

Suddenly the curtains were flung open, and the sweet rays of death fell upon Evelyn. Hissing, she buried her face into the sofa, immediately regretting it as she got a noseful of gross decades-old mustiness. Her stomach turned.

 

“Your brother was kind enough to lend me a set after I explained your predicament from yesterday. He didn’t approve of your post-jail celebrations, and I can’t say he was the only one.” the tone of disapproval only clarified who that 'other one' could possibly be.

 

Evelyn’s voice muffled between the cushions. “So what, you’re policing my behavior now? I thought this whole thing was a test to see how responsible I could be.”

 

Elastigirl perched down opposite to Evelyn on the coffee table. “Well to be precise, it’s a test to see whether or not you want to ruin people’s lives all over again. But if you’re going to start ruining your own, then we’re going to start intervening.”

 

“You don’t need to mother me,” Evelyn retorted as she rolled over to face Elastigirl, opening her eyes blearily. What she saw though made her wake up properly.

 

Evelyn wasn’t prepared to see Elastigirl in a casual get-up...ever. In the warm morning light, her figure seemed so soft and relaxed despite the situation, legs crossed over one another in a composed manner. She wore dark red slacks and a white patterned blouse, sleeves rolled up. And...no mask.

 

Her expression was troubled, though - that much hadn’t changed. “I’m not mothering you, just...looking out for you," she answered. "Like I said last night, it’s my job.”

 

Evelyn didn’t take her eyes off her now, cocking an eyebrow. “You know that excuse doesn’t really fly when you show up in here without your supersuit, _Elastigirl._ ”

 

“Any Super worth their salt works outside their usual hours - and you can call me Helen, by the way,” she added.

 

Evelyn stared at those deep brown eyes. “If you’re sure...Helen.” It was so easy to say... she wanted to keep saying it.

 

“Call it another test of trust, if you will. Now,” Helen got up and stood over Evelyn’s sleepy figure, arms crossed. “If you’re so hell-bent on not being ‘mothered’, then stand up - I’m taking you out for breakfast.”

 

Evelyn eyed the woman hesitantly. _Why would Elast-Helen want to treat her to a breakfast? Surely she has better things to do in her life…_ although Evelyn couldn’t say the same for herself. Maybe the breakfast would do her good. The CEO sighed as she shuffled her feet to the ground slowly. Raising her upper body to a more vertical position and ignoring the dizziness that threatened to steal her balance, she took a deep breath.

In one fluid motion, Evelyn committed and stood up.

 

Which was a terrible mistake.

 

As if gravity shot a parting finger to the woman’s dignity, Evelyn's muscles crumpled and her head lolled, the world jolting up and over-

 

Warm arms caught her frame, holding her upright and close.

 

“That’s what I thought,” the super whispered.

 

Evelyn felt her face heat up, the proximity of Helen supporting her body as she found her feet was something entirely different to when she was drunk from the night before. The super’s fingers held her firmly but gently, as she directed Evelyn into a straight-ish position.

 

“I…” Evelyn started. “I need at least four coffees before I even consider having food, ok?”

 

Helen smiled faintly. “No change there, then.”

 

Evelyn’s heart skipped at that small smile, but within a split second that old guarded look was up again, an uninterested expression replacing that beautiful moment of warmth. “You might want to change from last night’s clothes, though,” Helen added, glancing towards the bedroom and guiding a befuddled Evelyn alongside her.

 

* * *

 

A new set of clothes and one hasty espresso later, the two ladies were sat in a downtown diner, the kind that wasn’t really one for show and only seemed to be frequented by the locals. All the same, the morning glow doused its shabby interior with warmth, and the quiet atmosphere made for a comfy location to order some breakfast. In all honesty, Evelyn was happy that Helen didn’t pick a busier place - social situations weren’t really her thing (that was Winston’s territory), and anywhere where people won’t notice her after the events of the last six months was _always_ a bonus.

Having recovered in part from her hangover, Evelyn ventured to Helen, “So why exactly did you want to take me out for breakfast? I’m not foolish enough to believe my witty, nay... _exquisite_ personality won you over last night in that beautiful alleyway.”

 

Helen snorted into her drink. Evelyn made sure to remember that image forever. “Well you were exquisitely _hammered_ , if that helps. But no... I saw how much you'd drank, and it was... it was a lot,” Helen looked away, another frown slowly forming. “In my line of work, anyone who drinks _that_ much alcohol in one sitting isn’t likely to look after themselves the next day. If I hadn’t taken away your bag and not visited-”

 

“Ah, which I want back, by the way,” Evelyn pointed. “That bag's still my property, meaning I own it, meaning,” she gasped mockingly, “you _stole_ it.”

 

Helen’s mouth gaped open, stuttering. “I- I did not _st-_ _steal_ -!”

 

“A renowned super, saving the world by day, embezzling cheap alcohol by night,” Evelyn snickered, “If anyone was to find out… _people would talk._ ”

 

Helen slammed her drink down. “Oh I’ll give _you_ talk-”

 

“So what are we having, ladies?” the waitress said, appearing seemingly out of nowhere. Both women jumped.

 

“Where in the _hell_ did you come from…?” Evelyn probed shakily. This hangover was giving her jitters.

 

“Ahahahaha..! All the regulars say that, y’know. Doesn’t matter how many times they keep an eye on me, I always sneak up on ‘em when they’re not looking! So - what’ll y’all be having?”

 

Helen chuckled quietly. “I’ll have the eggs with a side of pastrami salmon, please.”

 

“Ohh a _protein_ girl, I like that,” the waitress quipped, writing the order down. “And you, miss...?

 

Evelyn scanned the menu again for her choice. “Uh, I’ll have the...blueberry pancakes. With extra maple syrup. Actually make it a double helping.”

 

“Hungry, then?” Helen enquired.

 

“Might as well make this my meal of the day, since it means less effort later, and you’re paying,” Evelyn pointed, with a wink and a smile. Helen rolled her eyes, but didn't complain.

 

The waitress nodded, jotting down the rest of the order before moving away, “I’ll keep the coffees coming for you both, then?” she called back.

 

“That’ll be great, thanks,” Helen replied.

 

“So you come here for the bottomless coffee service, I'm guessing?” Evelyn asked.

 

Helen sipped her beverage smoothly. “Well this joint is open 24/7 y'see, which for supers like me is a boon. And when you’re fighting crime at 3am, you’ve gotta find somewhere to stop and refuel. It’s actually a popular pit-stop for most supers who work on this side of town, that’s how the place has kept its doors open for so long.”

 

“Huh,” Evelyn cradled her coffee, sipping it thoughtfully, “I never really thought about it that way. I guess everyone needs their lunch breaks, even if you’re a super and you’re on the night-shift fighting the bad guys.”

 

“Yeah, and this place is discrete about it too...they _love_ supers. They even hire on the older teens as staff here for part-time jobs before they get into the super business.”

 

Evelyn gaped at Helen. “You mean that waitress…?”

 

Helen held her hands up innocently. “Probably just really good at sneaking up on people,” she sipped her coffee shrugging. “ _Probably._ ”

 

Evelyn just shook her head in bemusement. There was so much about the life of a super she never really considered, let alone _night-shift habits,_ of all things . Maybe that was in part why she failed in her attempt to sully the name of supers six months back. Evelyn thought she understood them, when in fact she only understood what she had _imposed_ upon them. Which was all the easier with a pair of goggles at your disposal, she mused.

 

The food arrived soon after, and while the sudden appearance of the waitress surprised both ladies yet again, it wasn’t so much of a fright this time round. Evelyn dug into her meal as Helen picked on hers quietly, more interested in the goings-on outside the diner. After a while, she noticed Evelyn watching her curiously. Helen shrugged.

 

“I like people-watching. You don’t get to do that a lot in my line of work when you’re, well...working. And if you do, it’s never pleasant,” she explained, taking another bite of her pastrami salmon. “This is why I do what I do, y’know. You get to see everyone go about their day-to-day routine, not having to worry about the bigger things in the world that could endanger them. It’s nice.” she smiled, genuinely. Evelyn was slightly disappointed that Helen wasn't smiling at her.

 

“I dunno,” Evelyn replied, gazing outside with a mouthful of pancake, leaning her face on her hand. “Sometimes I think people need a major event to up-end their lives every so often. It helps define you as a person, wakes you up from that daily slumber. You know, all that jazz,” she said, waving a forkful of pancake around in the air.

 

Helen turned back sharply towards Evelyn, all contentedness drained from her face. “If you think so,” she replied tersely, her attention firmly back on her breakfast.

 

Evelyn was confused. _What was it with this woman?_ “Did I offend you, or…?” she began.

 

“What? No,” Helen countered, “Just...each to their own.” she studied the menu all the while.

 

That didn’t convince Evelyn in the slightest. “I’m pretty sure you wouldn't say that to Mr Incredible,” she chanced.

 

The look Helen shot her was one that she hoped to never see again. If the super could destroy the table in anger, she would have, for the expression of fury and pain on her face was enough to make Evelyn shrink into her seat.

 

Evelyn started. “I only meant-”

 

“You _meant_ what you don’t understand, and how can you understand _anything_ when you’re-”

 

Helen was drowned out by a police car siren speeding down the road outside, followed by another in tow. Something was going on in the city centre, and it wasn't long until Helen made up her mind. The super took the chance to get up quickly and leave. Evelyn was mortified that _this_ would be the way they’d end their meet-up, after it was going so well.

 

With a darkened face, Helen was about to stride into the back of the joint, most likely to change for what was to come, but Evelyn couldn’t leave it like this. _She couldn't._

 

“Helen, please! My door’s always open,” she tried, hoping it would elicit some response.

 

Time slowed. Helen turned her head briefly to lock eyes on Evelyn, but she had the eyes of Elastigirl now. A different headspace, a different life. She had work to do, lives to save.

 

The super disappeared through the staff doors and didn’t return... most likely to exit around the back to avoid attention.

 

Evelyn looked on, sinking into her seat, her face slowly resting in her hands. How could she have messed this up? _Where_ could she have messed this up? She thought she could actually ask Elastigirl some questions after all this time, maybe even catch-up... pretend nothing ever happened. Now she was left wondering whether she’ll ever see the super again.

The woman gazed at her half-eaten mountain of pancakes sullenly. All of her appetite had vanished now, and the hangover was rearing its ugly head with a stomach-turn that could rival a washing machine.

 

Evelyn shook her head - the likelihood of Helen ever giving her a second chance was close to zero. She still had a hangover. And she had a bill to pay for all the coffee and food.

 

The waitress appeared from some place with a look of concern on her face. “Date didn’t go as planned, huh?”

 

Evelyn groaned, waving her hand. “It was the police sirens, it spooked her.”

 

“Sure it did, honey. Did she lump the bill on you too?”

 

Evelyn buried her face into her crossed arms, shrugging. “I guess,” she muffled.

 

The waitress hummed. “I’m sure we can help with that,” she said. “Your friend is a regular here, and I think she’d be horrified to know that she put that sort of burden on you with, uh… such short notice.”

 

Evelyn looked up at the waitress incredulously. “You don’t think she’ll be mad at you for doing that?”

 

The young lady laughed. “Not possible. She’s a loyal customer and in a way owes us for a few favours herself, so don’t you worry none,” she chimed, clearing up the plates. “I’ll put the pancakes in a bag for you to go,” she winked, walking away.

 

A small mercy, Evelyn sighed in relief. But still… she hoped she hadn’t upset Helen too much. What was supposed to be a bit of teasing became something else, and she couldn’t figure out what had changed. _If Helen comes over later,_ Evelyn mused, _I’ll question her then. But for now…_

  
With a bag of maple-drenched pancakes in one hand, and her purse in the other. Evelyn was on a mission. T _ime to replace my stolen whiskey collection,_ she decided.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story still lives, just slowly! <3
> 
> I had to split this one into two separate chapters because my endurance for writing fanfic only spans about four hours of an evening every other week. But hey, just some extra content, a bit of breakfast, some dialogue...all good stuff.
> 
> Next up is some angst! And probably whiskey. Which by the way, I might start tagging for.  
> Also I might change the fic tag to mature as I go along if need be. Just a heads up.


	4. Do Superheroes Drink on Duty...?

Evelyn meandered through the centre of New Urbem, mostly sure she was heading in the right direction back to that atrociously basic apartment she couldn’t quite call home. Along her way she found another corner shop that boasted an array of liquor that Evelyn simply couldn’t pass by. She exited the store with just the one whiskey bottle this time - but the most expensive one she could find.  _ It’ll soften the blow of that disastrous breakfast, _ she thought.

 

The sun shone brightly through the apartment window, catching the shifting dust particles in the rays as Evelyn let herself in. Still recovering partially from her hangover, she dumped her leftover pancakes and whiskey on the counter, settling in one of the rickety dining chairs next to the table, deep in thought.

 

Elastigirl. The woman who took her out for breakfast, kept her company. And yet, the woman who could barely look her in the eye... Evelyn couldn’t get her out of her mind for the life of her. But, she realised, that made sense considering how often the super had took up her time in the last (Evelyn counted), 36 hours. She shook her head.  _ Why would this woman keep her company often for no payoff, yet keep her at such an emotional distance? _ Evelyn couldn’t figure it out.  _ Or didn’t want to _ , she ventured,  _ because of the elephant in the room. _

_ The plane… _

 

Evelyn was on her feet before she knew it, desperately looking for a distraction in the room. Scanning the room and opening drawers, Evelyn rediscovered the stationary she spotted yesterday. She breathed out as a tension eased, smiling to herself. It had  _ definitely _ been a while since she designed something for kicks, she realised.

Slowly forgetting about everything else in the world, the tech genius sat back down at the table, splaying the paper in front of her. A million and one tiny, new concepts blossomed in her mind, and suddenly life dissolved around her as her hand moved fluidly across the blank canvas.

 

* * *

 

Helen waited patiently at the police station downtown for an officer to come and aid her. Her free fingers tapped the station’s counter idly, while her other arm was wrapped tightly around the car thief she’d been chasing for the better part of the morning. He was a tricky one. Having managed to escape the cops with ease and making use of the city’s alleyways, he was no newcomer. But then again, neither was Elastigirl. To put it bluntly, it just wasn’t his day, and - Helen mused - she  _ had _ had a lot of frustration to let loose throughout the chase. She looked away in thought. If only Evelyn could just-

 

“Elastigirl?”

 

Back in the room. “Yes, Officer…?”

 

“Jennings. Looks like you’ve brought a friend with you again?”

 

“Well I wouldn’t say friend, but we have been spending the better part of the morning with one another, haven’t we?” she squeezed her arm a little tighter around the man, who sputtered before nodding enthusiastically.

 

Helen continued. “I believe he gave your men the slip earlier this morning near the breakfast diner on Oak Street? I managed to keep a track of him when he had his eyes on your guys,” she shrugged a little.

 

“Ahh, I know this gentleman. He’s a regular, aren’t ya, Brian?” the thief smiled nervously. “Don’t worry Elastigirl, we’ll take it from here. We appreciate the effort you’ve gone through to apprehend this man, however. Maybe we’ll get through to him one day.”

 

Helen let loose her captive as the officer brandished handcuffs for the criminal. “Here’s to hoping,” she replied with a smile, before turning to leave. But as she made her way back out, a thought crossed her mind. “Actually, Officer Jennings? Do you mind if I borrow your station’s phone? In a quiet place, if that’s no trouble.”

 

Five minutes later, Helen was waiting for the phone to pick up. She had to talk this out, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to concentrate for the rest of the day. A deep voice answered, and her body relaxed a little.

 

“Hi sweetie, it’s me,” she said.

 

“Oh, hey! Did you start work early?” Bob asked, warmth creeping into his voice.

 

“Yeah, I was at the diner and y’know how busy it gets around there,” Helen rolled her eyes.

 

“The fun never stops ‘round that place, I tell ya,” Bob replied, “I think that was the owner’s intention though, opening a super base in the middle of a crime hotspot. Think we should do that when we retire? I kinda like the sound of pancakes and busting local crimes.”

 

Helen chuckled. “Save it for now, we’ve got bigger fish to fry while we still don’t need zimmer frames.”

 

“Ahh speaking of bigger fish to fry - how did the breakfast go with...” Bob cleared his throat, “ _ you-know-who _ ?”

 

“Ugh, it was fine until she started voicing her opinions on the status quo,” Helen sighed as she began to explain what had happened at the diner. “I really thought I was onto something Bob, but she seems so...cynical. And lost. I really don’t know if there’s any point in continuing with-”

 

“Hey now, hold on a minute,” Bob replied. “You’ve not stopped thinking about her since she landed herself in jail in the first place. I’ve not seen you like that for a very long time, dear…”

 

Helen sighed again. “I know...but is it worth it?”

 

“If I want to get a moment’s peace from your pining, then yeah I’d say it is,” Bob responded, and Helen snorted. It was true, Bob was her rock and she could always talk to him about these things. While his pride and envy was unparalleled in his career, he was always soft and understanding when it came to relationship problems. Particularly their occasional open ones, like this. It was one of the elements that kept them strong throughout the years.

 

“The thing is, Helen,” Bob continued, “You’re not gonna stop thinking about her, if you quit now. And you’re only gonna try again when the moment has passed. She  _ did _ attempt to reach out to you at the diner at the end, right?” Helen assented. “Then you need to settle things with Evelyn, and see what there is for you both after that. You know I’m fine with this, I’ve said as much enough times before now. I’m just thinking, you should give her another chance. For your sake.”

 

Helen bit her lip slightly, scrunching her eyes shut. Bob was so good with these things. It often surprised her, although at this point in their relationship, it really shouldn't. At first it took a while to persuade him that Evelyn could be worth the effort but once he was on board, he didn’t look back. She wondered for the hundredth time how lucky she was to have him.

 

“Alright…alright,” she murmured, “I’ll go and see her tonight. It might be a long evening though. Do you mind watching the kids for me, hun?”

 

“I expected nothing less,” he answered. “The kids’ll be fine with me, we’ll make it a movie night. Just... take care dear.”

 

“You know I will. Love you.”

 

* * *

 

The light from the sun had made its way lazily across the room as Evelyn worked away. It wasn’t until the brightness faded into a dull shade of garnet had the woman looked up from her papers and realised what time it was. She glanced back down at her designs blearily and could barely make them out in the dim light, but-

 

Her heart skipped a beat.

 

“How in the hell did I manage to work on  _ Elastigirl designs _ all day without realising?” she stammered to herself.

 

Beneath her were pages upon pages of blueprints for costume designs, upgraded Elasticycles, new pieces of tech, communication devices, accessories that would work effectively with her stretched figure…

 

Evelyn shook her head slowly in disbelief as she gazed at her work. This was ridiculous. Her stomach rumbled incessantly, so she opened up her box of cold breakfast pancakes, grabbed a fork and started chewing on them vehemently at the counter, not taking her eyes off the table of papers.

 

She cursed softly. She was hooked.

 

A sharp knock on the door made Evelyn jump out of her skin. Suddenly she remembered what she had said at the diner.  _ It couldn’t possibly… _

 

Hastily, she gathered the pieces of paper into a pile and promptly chucked them into the nearest open bin. Checking that her hair was not too messy, she took a deep breath and opened the door.

 

And there she was. Again, in her casual wear, although maybe not quite as casual this time round. Evelyn wasn’t sure, but the choice of a grey buttoned shirt, fitted black jeans and a group of golden bangles seemed a bit smarter than her breakfast wear... but maybe she was looking too much into it.

 

Or maybe she was just looking too much, period. She quickly darted her eyes back up to a questioning expression.

 

“...can I come in?” Elastigirl enquired.

 

“El-Helen! Yeah, sure,” stepping aside to let the super in. Evelyn was still reeling at the fact Helen was even here. She didn’t expect her to take Evelyn’s last plea to heart, it  _ was _ a long shot after all. And yet, here she was. Every bit of her, surveying the flat casually as if nothing had happened. And…

 

“I don’t think you get how curtains work, you know,” Helen said playfully as she made her way across the room closing the drapes against the darkening sky.

 

“Ah, I’ve been…” Evelyn faltered. Now would  _ not _ be a good time to mention the designs. “I’ve been out most of the day, I only just back really.” She leaned against the wall, smiling. “But thank you, truly, for doing my domestic chores for me. You know how much I hate them.”

 

Helen gave Evelyn a pointed look. “Well I’m sure you have someone to usually do this for you, considering you’re the CEO of DevTech, so I’m not surprised.”

 

“And now I have you.”

 

Helen looked over, an expression of faint surprise on her face. Evelyn’s face heated up almost instantly as she looked away, embarrassed.

 

“I- I mean...I’m glad you came to see me,” she stammered awkwardly.

 

Helen’s eyes softened. “Well… you did ask nicely.”

 

They both paused as a warm silence settled between the two that they didn’t want to break. It said everything they wanted to say. It meant too much.

 

Yet, after what felt like an eternity, Helen shifted. “Ah, besides - I have something for you,” she said lightly. Turning towards the front door, she stretched her arm past Evelyn, opening the door and scrambling behind it.

 

“Hold on, I put it just… augh. I swear, if someone has moved it, ah-!”

 

As she lifted her arm, a pleasant jingle of glass echoed through the corridor. The outstretched limb contracted back into the apartment, proffering to Evelyn a shopping bag full of cheap spirits.

 

“I told you, I don’t embezzle,” Helen said, somewhat coyly.

 

Evelyn’s eyes lit up at her newly reacquired alcohol stash, taking the bag. “Actually, if I remember correctly,” she turned towards Helen with a smirk, “You were too busy stammering at the time to declare your innocence. Which, I believe,” she wagged her finger, “only the guilty do.”

 

Helen stepped forward towards Evelyn. “Not all guilty parties stammer,” she murmured, eyes only on the woman in front of her.

 

Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat, her grip on the bag a little tighter. Something about Helen felt… different to earlier this morning. It was almost like an invisible knot had been undone between now and then, leaving Helen all the more…  _ available?  _ Evelyn almost snorted at her own thought, but Helen was still walking towards her and Ev was beginning to realise how much of a challenge it was to keep a casual front.

 

Thankfully Helen stopped short, cocking her head to the side, an apologetic look on her face. “I’m sorry I had to run off like that before. I-”

 

“Stop. Just- don’t… don’t apologise for your work. You- you did what you had to do,” Evelyn stuttered.  _ And she meant that _ , she realised.

 

“Yeah, you’re right,” Helen looked away. Evelyn couldn’t find the words to continue. She wanted to apologise for...whatever she said, or did, but didn’t know how. How was such a simple thing so damn  _ impossible _ to say? Her eyes darted around the room like they did earlier that day, looking for a distraction. She quickly spotted an earlier purchase of hers on the kitchen counter.

 

“You know,” she began, “I had to replenish my dwindling stocks of spirits after you unfairly procured my last lot. See, I bought this beautiful young thing today,” Evelyn walked towards the counter, motioning at the whiskey sitting there. “And it would be an awful shame,” she looked directly at Helen, “not to share it with someone.”

 

Helen smiled reached a little further this time. “Well luckily for you, Evelyn Deavor, I have nowhere else to be tonight. Besides, Glenfiddich is a favourite of mine.”

 

Evelyn was slightly taken aback by Helen’s taste for whiskies, but was satisfied nonetheless. She rooted around the cupboards for some sensible glasses. “Nowhere else to be tonight, huh? Last time I heard, Elastigirl had a family of supers to go home to,” the tone was casual, but Evelyn was really curious as to what Helen meant. “Won’t your husband be wondering where you are?”

 

Helen leant over the counter to watch Evelyn. “Nah, Bob knows exactly where I am. And what I’m doing,” Helen added.

 

Evelyn’s hand jolted between the glasses in the cupboard, clattering loudly. “Huh,” was all she could get out, before recovering and finding some tumblers that would work well enough for the beverages they’d be having.  _ Interesting. _

 

Evelyn asked again, to make sure. “Does that mean I’ll be hosting you for the majority of the evening?” she enquired, pouring out the beverage into some passable glasses. She offered up the glass to the woman in front of her, trying to stop her hand shaking a little with adrenaline.

 

Helen smiled crookedly. “If that’s not too much trouble,” she replied, clinking her glass against Evelyn’s.

 

“Not in the slightest,” Evelyn said with satisfaction, before taking a deep mouthful of her measurement. The liquid stung her taste buds pleasantly, and lit a fire in her core. It was  _ glorious _ .

 

Both women enjoyed the moment of peace, but Evelyn’s mind was racing. For the tech lady, this was more than she could have hoped. Elastigirl in her apartment, alone? For the evening? With a beverage and many flirtatious undertones? With a new-found confidence in hand, she meandered towards the couch, taking another deep sip of her drink and settling down on one side.

 

“Since you’re here, I have an idea to pass the time,” she ventured.

 

“Oh?” Helen followed, sitting on the other side of the couch.

 

“How about…” Evelyn grabbed the bag of spirit bottles, “A game of Truth or Dare?”

 

Helen’s eyes rolled to the back of her head. “How boring was jail for you, Evelyn?”

 

Evelyn flashed a grin. “ _ Ridiculously _ boring. Will you humour me?”

 

“I’m sure that by the end of this, you’ll be humouring me,” Helen countered with a smile, crossing her legs and leaning back into the couch, a look of sheer competitiveness on her face. Evelyn decided that look was positively adorable, and no-one could convince her otherwise.

 

* * *

 

“So, the rules,” Evelyn began as she laid out the bottles on the coffee table opposite the couch. “Have you played this before?”

 

Helen blinked. “Do- do I look like someone who hasn’t? Oh god, I need to get myself a new wardrobe-”

 

“ _ Aughh _ ,” Evelyn rolled her eyes. “There might be some excessive drinking involved, I wanted to make sure you were fine with that, that was all.”

 

“I can handle my drink, Evelyn.” Helen flashed her another grin. It was all Evelyn could do to not get distracted.

 

“.....okay, the rules,” she repeated, “You have to answer the truths honestly, and put everything you've got into the dares, or I’m walking out of this apartment and committing a crime.”

 

“You  _ what? _ ”

 

“Relax super, I can tease too,” Evelyn smirked. “If you  _ really _ don’t want to go through with a truth or dare, you can veto. But you’ll have to drink a finger of your opponent's alcohol of choice. With every veto, the finger amount goes up... and I would resist the temptation to get to  _ five _ .” she smiled.

 

“What happens then?” Helen asked.

 

“Nothing glamourous, I assure you,” Evelyn winked. “Now, I’ll go first-”

 

“What, why?”

 

“Because you weren’t quick enough to say otherwise, Elastigirl, now truth or dare?”

 

Helen’s face scrunched. “Huh. Rocky logic, but dare me.” 

 

“Ok, I  _ dare _ you…” Evelyn pointed her finger at Helen vaguely, “I dare you to...hmm. You’re being far too sensible to go any further. At least not without having a dirty shot.”

 

Helen groaned. “I remember those from my college days.”

 

“Oh I  _ bet  _ you would,” Evelyn grinned, pouring a bit from every bottle into a third glass she had got out earlier. “Have you taken a good look at the contents I had in that bag?”

 

“I might have ah, briefly checked,” Helen grimaced, “Mostly whiskey, one dark rum and white wine... wow, this is going to be interesting.”

 

“Bottoms up, dear,” Evelyn offered the glass with a devil’s smile.

 

Helen took the glass and gave it a dirty look before downing the lot. Evelyn was a little impressed at how she didn't even wince, and surprised when Helen took a deep sip from her whiskey glass straight after.

 

“You’ve gotta clear the palette after something like that,” Helen said, “Or is that too sensible an idea for you?”

 

Evelyn grinned. “Nope, I approve wholeheartedly. Now, what would you like from me?”

 

“Hmm, what indeed…” Helen leant back, watching Evelyn deep in thought. The dirty shot didn’t take long to exorcise any lingering sobriety. “Let’s go for a truth. What was jail really like for you?”

 

“Really? That’s your truth?” Evelyn grumbled. Helen simply nodded, sipping her whiskey.

 

“Fine… as I mentioned, it was boring. Unbearably boring. I was lucky to only get six months, but not being able to work on any of my projects, or have anything to write my ideas down on, and with no tech in sight… it was maddening. At least now I have that freedom again.” she said, the designs from earlier flashing through her mind and making her heart jump.

 

“That… does sound frustrating,” Helen agreed. “I just wanted to know if you understood why you went to jail at all.”

 

“If you wanted to know that, you should have asked me that question instead,” Evelyn responded, but Helen’s familiar hard look returned and Evelyn stuttered. “I mean of course I understand, I was teasing, I…! I was just- my mouth has a mind of its own sometimes,” she finished, hoping it was enough to recover.  


 

There was a small pause between them before Helen looked down at her glass fervently.

 

“Hmm...why am I not surprised?” Helen replied, a small smile creeping onto her lips. Evelyn breathed a small sigh of relief before emptying her own glass.

 

“You shouldn’t be - I always like to get the last laugh,” Evelyn said. “My turn again - truth or dare?”

 

“Truth, please.”

 

“Then let’s take this one back to high school...”

 

“Hard to do that with alcohol, though.”

 

“What alcohol?” Evelyn waved her empty glass smugly. “Who was your high school crush?”

 

Helen snorted. “Why would you care? You wouldn’t know them.”

 

Evelyn shrugged. “Just asking.”

 

Except she wasn’t just asking. She was fishing for an answer to a question she couldn’t ask outright. It was a long shot, but she had to know.

 

“Well, since you’re so interested… are you... _perhaps_ aware of Stratogale?” Helen fidgeted in her seat.

 

_ Bingo. _

 

“Oh,  _ really _ ?" Evelyn leaned forward with barely contained glee.

 

“She was a crush I had through the majority of high school, and when we both went to the same college, well…” Helen blushed. “It kinda became a little more than that.”

 

“I would  _ never _ have guessed you swung that way, Helen,” Evelyn purred.

 

Helen gave Evelyn a look. “Really? Never?”

 

“Well… maybe. But a confirmation is always welcome.”

 

“I can only imagine,” Helen finished her whiskey casually.

 

Evelyn couldn’t help but feel like she wasn’t being all that subtle. She blamed the whiskey, as she poured her and Helen another deep measure.

 

“Well it’s my turn anyway,” Helen announced, “So Evelyn Deavor, truth or dare?”

 

Evelyn sighed. “Let’s complete the circle. Dare me.”

 

“Ah, good!” Helen replied delightfully. “Because I have the perfect one for you...oh, if only your brother was here for this,” Helen chuckled. “I dare you to sing my theme tune.”

 

“ _ Hard veto _ .” Evelyn declared with a stony face. Helen hummed pleasantly as she began to inspect the bottles on the table to see which one had the highest volume of alcohol.

 

\---

 

It was safe to say they had learned a little more about one another in the last hour, and the vetoes were thankfully few and far between. The alcoholic buzz had kicked in for Evelyn, and the evening felt pleasant; she only wished she could have evenings like this more often. Helen returned from “powdering her nose”, taking her sweet time returning to the couch, meandering around the apartment like she owned the place. Evelyn’s hairs stood on end when Helen murmured, “Wait, what are these in the bin..?”

 

Evelyn shot up. “Terribly, terrible designs! That belong in the bin and not-” Helen picked them up, “In your hands.” Evelyn finished, looking away.

 

Helen flicked through them, her eyes darting from one note to another. Her face was unreadable, but there was no doubt she was looking at them with deep intent.

 

Evelyn began to explain, “The last designs I made before being incarcerated were for you, it was only natural to pick up where I left off…”

 

Helen looked at Evelyn with eyes full of… respect? Appreciation? _Desire?_ “These are amazing,” she whispered. “Why would you throw them away?”

 

Evelyn crossed her arms and shifted from foot to foot. “I have a high standard for my inventions. These ones have potential, but the base structure is-”

 

“Do you mind if I hold onto these?” Helen interrupted.

 

Evelyn blinked. “Yeah… no, I mean, of course. They’re just concepts.”

 

“I think they’re wonderful.” Helen smiled, as she walked back to the couch, placing the designs in a neat pile next to her feet.

 

Evelyn swallowed, so very thankful she wasn’t sober. “I’m glad you think so.” She headed back to the couch and poured another glass from one of the cheap bottles - the Glenfiddich was long gone by now. “Time for me to pick truth or dare-”

 

“Wait, I thought I could pick my own?”

 

“Eh, it’s more fun if we both pick each other’s T&D’s,” Evelyn replied with a wink. Helen hesitated for a moment, but nodded all the same.

 

“So, here's my truth” Evelyn began, “I ask you this - when was the last time you had sex?”

 

Helen almost spat out her drink, but instead coughed it down with an effort. Evelyn fought back the bubbling laughter and instead opted to maintain an innocent look of expectation.

 

Once Helen caught her breath, she answered quietly, “I’m not going to tell you that.”

 

“Got something to hide, Elastigirl?” Evelyn teased.

 

“No, I-”

 

“I’ll remind you, you’ve had three vetoes now - three more than I thought you'd have. Why on earth  _ anyone _ would veto a favourite pie flavour is beyond me…” 

 

Helen maintained a determined look, just about. “Fine. The fingers are adding up... the last time I had sex was six weeks ago, are you happy now?”

 

Evelyn cackled with laughter. “Six weeks ago? What is this, the _20’s_?”

 

“I’ll have you know, crime has been on the rise in New Urbem and my shifts have been a complete nightmare-”

 

“I’m sure they have,” Evelyn cooed. “Many supers say that, you know.”

 

Helen bristled. “Ok well, my turn now. I'll truth you with this. W hen did _you_ last have sex?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Answer the question, Evelyn.”

 

The tech lady shuffled into the couch some more, as dusty as it was. “ _ Shcd ysars... _ ”

 

“What?”

 

“SIX. YEARS,” Evelyn replied loudly.

 

Helen’s face scrunched up apologetically. A smile crept onto her lips. “Sorry,” she uttered.

 

“It’s fine, I’m busy with more important things than sex and like I’ve mentioned, my standards are high,” Evelyn retorted. “I mean, six years for a single soul like me is expected, but six weeks for a happily married couple like yourself...?”

 

“What about it?” Helen bristled.

 

“Nothing! Nothing...I'm just saying,” Evelyn murmured. But it was enough for Helen to sit up and look a little colder than before. _ It was only banter, _ Evelyn thought irritably.  _ If you’re that sensitive... _

 

“My turn again,” Evelyn declared, to Helen’s dismay. “So  _ why _ exactly haven’t you had sex in six weeks?”

 

Helen’s expression was unreadable. “Veto,” she says.

 

Evelyn sighed. “Fine, drink whatever’s left.”

 

The coffee table’s contents was looking very much diminished by this point. Helen grabbed the nearest bottle and filled her glass to four finger’s worth. Evelyn almost felt bad, but the super  _ really _ shouldn’t have avoided the question about personal kinks earlier on in the evening. Helen downed the liquor with determination, looking worse for wear afterwards.

 

“Don’t ask those sort of questions again please,” Helen slurred. Her head hung low for a few seconds, before she looked up with a flash.

 

“Truth, why are you asking these questions?” Helen muttered.

 

Evelyn looked away. “Because it’s just a bit of fun.”

 

Helen stared. “I think you’re lying.”

 

Evelyn sighed. “You’re right,” she agreed. “I’ll veto for your sake. Three fingers of…?”

 

“Whatever. Your turn.”

 

Evelyn sat up slightly. She grabbed the nearest bottle and started pouring for herself. “Three fingers of rum it is. I truth you this. Why did you come round to my apartment tonight, Elastigirl?”

 

“Veto.”

 

“Really?” Evelyn looked at Helen. “Is this what you-”

 

“ _ I said veto _ .”

 

Evelyn swallowed. “Alright...five fingers of wine for you.” It was the lowest volume of alcohol for Helen, but drinking different beverages wasn’t much of an improvement regardless.

 

Helen downed the wine with the intensity of someone on a mission. “Truth sounds fun,” she murmured, “Evelyn, why do you care about my sex life so much?”

 

Evelyn shuffled into the couch. “It’s just a game,” she muttered.

 

“Is it?” Helen pushed.

 

“I veto too,” Evelyn grabs a bottle.

 

A soft hand pushed Evelyn’s down back onto the coffee table. “You don’t have to do that anymore,” Helen said softly.

 

Evelyn’s body shook a little. “Do what?” she ventured.

 

A sigh came from across the couch. The soft hand floated away, the safety net withdrawn. “I really…” Helen began, taking a breath, “I really can’t figure you out, Ev. What do you want?”

 

Evelyn’s heart stopped. She was about to ask what, but...  


Helen looked into Evelyn’s eyes deeply. There was so much - too much - for Evelyn to deconstruct there. But she could understand there was a need, but also something stopping them. Evelyn took a deep breath.

 

“You,” she replied, genuinely. “I want you.”

 

The super’s eyes were bright, yet sad. Helen sat back slowly into the couch, looking almost defeated.

 

Evelyn began to stutter. “Wh-what… is that ok? I thought I made this obvious from the sta-”

 

“No, Ev! No you hadn’t!” Helen shouted, tearing up. She looked away. “I thought you had, but then after everything...after the goggles, the plane… how can I trust you after that?” her voice faltered a little.

 

Evelyn couldn’t speak. In her head she had made everything clear. How attracted she was to Elastigirl... and she had tried to separate her Screenslaver plans with her feelings for Helen, but it had all got caught up together. She should have expected that to happen, but... Evelyn realised, she didn’t _want_ to see. So she ignored it.

 

“This is why you were mad at the diner,” Evelyn whispered, downing her whiskey to shield herself from the guilt that was slowly overwhelming her. “The idea of any sort of uproar frustrates you.”

 

Helen laughed mirthlessly. “Yes! My job is all about maintaining balance and upholding the law, and yet you think a bit of 'up-ending and all that jazz' is good for society? Have you ever stopped to consider that the general public doesn’t need that? That maybe you could have benefited from a bit of piece too?” Helen pleaded.

 

Evelyn looked back at Helen desperately. She has miscalculated, terribly. She thought they had both got past this, but she was a fool to think so. Helen shook her head, laughing quietly to herself. She stood up to take her leave, but she had drank too much, even for a super. The world tilted sideways.

 

Evelyn darted up and caught Helen as she fell. Even though the CEO was drunk herself, she seemed to have fared better than the super when it came to Truth and Dare - she hadn't vetoed five times. Helen tried to squirm out of Evelyn’s hold, but it was a doomed attempt. “Come on, you need a bed,” Evelyn mumbled as she laboriously directed Helen towards her bedroom.

 

Thankfully Helen didn’t fight, but grumbled under her breath all the same as Evelyn half dragged her to her bed - a king-size, thankfully. As Elastigirl was unceremoniously dumped across the mattress, Evelyn allowed herself to fall next to her, gravity being too much of a burden for her at this hour. Helen’s eyes were barely open as she was splayed diagonally across the bed. Evelyn just about fit next to her parallel, and watched Helen as she slowly succumbed to sleep.

 

“I’m sorry,” Evelyn mumbled, not sure whether Helen would hear. “I’ve done some terrible things to you, but I swear I’ll do better. Just wait and see.”

 

Helen didn’t react- she looked like she was asleep, with her eyes still barely open. Evelyn began to close her eyes as a warm hand enclosed her own. Evelyn looked up, only to see Helen's eyes closed, her breathing heavy.  


 

Evelyn clung to the hand tightly. It might have been an unconscious action, but she held onto it all the same as she could feel sleep overtaking her. She leaned her head towards Helen’s and in a moment of brief clarity, kissed her forehead softly before burying her head into the mattress. She would have moved to the sofa, but chivalry wasn’t in her blood. Besides, waking up next to Helen wouldn’t be such a bad thing really.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still updating this!! Just as and when I have the time and inspiration to do so.I said I would be adding some angst, so there you go I'm so sorry D: Maybe I'll add something a little sweeter later. <3

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic! Just trying some ideas out, bare with me if it feels a bit stilted/slow, I guess I'm trying to set the scene before we get into the next chapter. I'll update as and when, but I have definite ideas of where I want this to go. Thanks for sticking around!


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